April 1st has come and gone, marking another year of playful jests in the video game industry. Among them, the April Fool's gag from the team behind Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is one that might linger in fans' minds a bit longer.

On April 1st, Space Marine 2's publisher, Focus Entertainment, announced the release of a new Chaplain class as DLC, supposedly available on that very day. "In story mode, swap out Titus for The Chaplain and experience the game as a true Codex-compliant Ultramarine," Focus declared, likely with a chuckle behind their screens.

The 'DLC' was said to introduce a new playable character in the story mode, along with an 'Enhanced Dialogue System.' This system would have the Chaplain, every five minutes, remind his comrades that "the Codex Astartes does not support this action," and threaten to report them to the Inquisition.

The Chaplain would also boast a special ability called Discipline, which would allow him to report "any and all minor deviations from the Codex Astartes" for a 5% discipline bonus, albeit at the cost of a -20% brotherhood bonus.

The humor of this April Fool's joke stems from Chaplain Quintus's role in Space Marine 2's campaign. Known for his vigilant oversight of Titus, Quintus constantly watches for any hint of heresy, despite Titus's unwavering loyalty to the Imperium, the Ultramarines, and the Emperor. Throughout the game, as Titus fights against the Tyranids and the Thousand Sons traitor legion, Quintus's distrust grows, making him akin to an overzealous school prefect eager to report any rule-breaking to the authorities. This has made the Chaplain a figure of both frustration and amusement among players.

The Chaplain has become a meme within the Space Marine community, and this April Fool's prank plays right into that. Interestingly, some fans have expressed genuine interest in seeing the Chaplain as a playable character, not with the exact abilities from the joke, but as a warrior-priest dedicated to the veneration of the Emperor.

"This would actually go hard if this was real," commented ResidentDrama9739 on the Space Marine subreddit, sparking enthusiastic discussions about how the Chaplain could be integrated into the game.

Meanwhile, Space Marine 2 is set to receive a new class, though Focus and developer Saber Interactive have kept details under wraps. Speculation among fans leans towards the Apothecary, a class akin to a medic, or the Librarian, which could introduce exciting warp-powered space magic. Does the Chaplain's April Fool's spotlight rule him out as a possibility?

Despite the recent announcement of Space Marine 3's development, Space Marine 2's year one roadmap continues with Patch 7 set for a mid-April release. In the coming months, players can look forward to the new class, as well as new PvE operations and melee weapons.